Prairie Meadows Publishing, a division of Lakeside Press, of Willmar, specializes in book printing and publishing. They have been printing books for over 40 years, and this family-owned business strives to make the process of getting your book in print stress-free.

Patricia Buschette, of Renville, was searching for a company to publish her current first book, Locked up in Frost, and checked out Prairie Meadows Publishing and was immediately impressed.

“I came into their offices knowing little or nothing about the publication process despite the fact that I had discussed the book with other publishers,” she said. “They made no overoptimistic promises, but were interested in my story. We have worked together since that time and have made suggestions that will improve the book. They work as a team, and Mark, Laura, and Marie, each have specific ideas.”

Mark and Marie Peterson have many years of publishing experience between them, and with their son Tim and daughter-in-law Laura, have owned Lakeside Press on North Highway 71 since 2013. Prairie Meadows Publishing is a division of Lakeside Press that specializes in the book printing and publishing. Tim is the pressman, while Laura is general manager, graphic artist and marketing analyst. Another employee, Linda Lopez, is a graphic designer.

“We take a lot of pride in our work,” said Mark. “Satisfying our customers is our top priority.”

Some of the cover designs done by Prairie Meadows. Photo by Scott Thoma

Several authors that have utilized the commitment to excellence that Prairie Meadows Publishing offers have had several books published with them, an indication of their satisfaction with the job that was done as well as the cost.

“My new book will be my third book printed by them,” said Don Orth, of Olivia. “They make me feel welcome and appreciated. I chose Prairie Meadows Publishing because of their flexibility and willingness to help, and they appreciate our business.”

Some of the concerns an author might have are how much it will cost, how to get the book edited, how to come up with an enticing cover, and how to sell the book once it’s printed.

“Our job is to make you look good on paper,” said Laura. “We have the equipment for printing and binding the book in-house so we are able to control cost and quality throughout the entire production process. Besides printing and binding your book, we can also help with other services.”

Lakeside Press offers three options to getting a book published: royalty publishing, self-publishing with help, and straight self-publishing. And they offer very competitive prices.

“Lakeside Press was very friendly and was up front on prices for printing,” said Pastor Dennis Gray, of Argyle. “One thing impressed me was the lower costs for reprinting the book.”

And the work done on the book, including editing, printing, designing and binding, never leaves Prairie Meadows until completion. That makes it much easier if the author has any changes or questions throughout the process.

“If we decide to publish your book as a royalty, we do the editing and designing for you,” said Mark Peterson. “If you choose to self-publish, we offer our services to the author for anything they want help with. Or, if they choose, they can make all the decisions and find their own editor and design their own cover. Whatever route they choose, we are here to help.”

If your dream is to become a published author and you want to own all rights to your book then the fast-growing world of self-publishing might be right for you.

But some authors who take the self-publishing route have no intention of selling their book or turning their project into a business venture. The book they have printed might be written for relatives as a keepsake or a historical look into a family history.

“We see a lot of people writing books about family history or poetry or something else that they want to give away as gifts to remember them by,” said Mark. “We can print any amount of books you want to fit your budget. Need one book? We can do it. Need 25 books? We can do it. Need thousands of books? We can do that, too. You don’t have to be obligated to print a bunch of books at one time.”

A writer might choose to self-publish with the hope of turning their creative effort into a profit.

“Whatever the intention you have for your book,” said Laura, “we have the experience and expertise to guide you through the process of producing a high-quality, visually stimulating product.”

Prairie Meadows Publishing has published all types of books over the years. Those include novels, historical, poetry, short stories, children’s, business, educational, self-help, church directories, church anniversary, how-to, manuals, workbooks, biographies, memoirs, cookbooks, crafts, hobbies, family history, religious and more.

“All of our customized self-publishing services are a la carte,” said Laura. “An author can choose only what they need.”

Graphic designer Linda Lopez at work at her desk. Photo by Scott Thoma

The book covers designed by Prairie Meadows Publishing are created with a purpose.

“A cover can really sell a book,” said Mark. “Laura does a great job in making sure the cover stands out while also reflecting the book itself.”

Buschette has been very pleased with the work done on all aspects of her book.

“Not only does the staff at Prairie Meadows understand what readers will buy, but I am amazed at the creativity of their design proposals for the book cover and business cards,” Buschette noted. “The design proposals are unique and have far exceeded my expectations. I do not say that very often.”

Lakeside Press can also assist you with any commercial or personal printing needs, such as vinyl banners, brochures, flyers, posters, business cards, forms, newsletters, envelopes, bulk mailing and more.

For your next or upcoming project, Prairie Meadows Publishing would be happy to discuss it with you either by stopping into their business, calling 320-905-1599 or emailing laura@prairiemeadowspublishing.com.